People wonder what makes the new generation of NBA stars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James the least popular group in years. Is it the way they play, or how they act? With too many villains in the league, perhaps Jeremy Lin was a breath of fresh air.
Lin puts off New York Knicks time to talk with fans about 'Harry Potter'
There isn't many times where a basketball fan can log on to a website and talk with a pro player about something as trivial as Harry Potter. New York Knicks fans got that chance when Lin paused the ongoing rehab of his injured right knee for a Facebook Q&A session where he answered some random questions. Among the most popular were his interests in such series as Pokémon and Harry Potter. The young Taiwanese-American wasn't bashful when he admitted Blastoise was his favorite Pokémon and he stopped reading the Potter series after the fourth volume because the books had gotten too long. He also revealed himself as a dog person after a bad cat experience when he was young and showed his humble Christian side when he admitted he struggles with pride every day, especially with the Linsanity craze of late. Such open honesty coming from a professional athlete is very rare in this age. Fans haven't had that perhaps since Charles Barkley retired. So why is the young point guard such a hit?
Kobe and LeBron have talent but have turned NBA into Villain Fest
Outside of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, are there any fans who truly like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James as both players and people. Where Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were icons coast-to-coast during their storied rivalry, and Michael Jordan flooded the airways, most NBA enthusiasts grow tired of the two best players of the new millennium generation. While the two are among the most athletically gifted players of all time, nobody seems to care. Why? Bryant and James have settled on images that paint them as villains. Kobe has rape allegations and a history of meddling in the business of his team. LeBron publicly abandoned his old Cleveland Cavaliers team to join the Miami Heat. An ESPN article even made fun of the two stars by calling Bryant "sulky" when he doesn't play and James "indecisive." That isn't what basketball fans want from their stars.
Calling Jeremy Lin a passing fad isn't right or wrong, but it is bad. The New York Knicks and more importantly the NBA need level-headed young men like him to reconnect with fans. Whether it's talking about Harry Potter or Pokémon doesn't matter. Too long have those like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James kept fans at arm's length because they play a game better than most and act like rock stars. That's not how a league wins back the popularity it once had.
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